2010 University of Connecticut grad Tina Charles scored 16 points and snared seven rebounds as the USA Basketball National Team defeated Turkey, 89-58, in preliminary round action of the 2012 Olympic Games. Team USA improves to a perfect 3-0 in the Olympics and will square-off against the Czech Republic on Friday, August 3. Game time is set for 5:15 EDT and the contest will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

Team USA shot a solid 54 percent from the field and held Turkey to just 29 percent shooting. The US took advantage of perhaps its greatest strength once again, outrebounding Turkey by a 53-30 margin, including a 36-19 edge on the defensive glass.

Charles is now fourth among all players in the competition at 7.7 rebounds per game and is second on Team USA at 12.0 points per contest.

2002 UConn grad Asjha Jones was solid for the US, scoring eight points on 4-of-6 shooting to go along with four rebounds and three assists in 18-minutes of action. Four-year UConn teammate Sue Bird also added eight points on 3-of-5 shooting while dishing-out four assists.

Turkey hung around early and led by one point, 16-15, with 1:21 remaining in the first quarter. However, McCoughtry made a pair of free throws to spark a 10-0 US run and the Red, White and Blue never looked back.